PV-1 Ventura Airplane Model

The Lockheed Ventura is a bomber and patrol aircraft during World War II, developed from the Lockheed Lodestar transport. PV-1 is the version of Ventura built for the U.S. Navy and early production of the aircraft still carried a bombardiers station behind the nose radome, having four side windows and a flat bomb-aiming panel underneath the nose. Late production of PV-1s dispensed with this bomber position and replaced it with a pack with three 0.50 inch machine guns underneath the nose. It could also carry eight 5 in (127 mm) HVAR rockets on launchers underneath the wings. In December 1942, the PV-1 was delivered and entered service in February 1943. The first squadron was the VP-135 which was deployed in the Aleutian Islands in April 1943. They were operated by three other squadrons in this theater. PV-1s would often lead B-24 bomber formations, since the aircraft comes equipped with radar. PV-1s were deployed to the Solomon Islands as night fighters in late 1943. After World War II, PV-1s became obsolete and the aircraft were sent to Naval Air Station Clinton to be demilitarized and reduced to scrap. Dimensions: 16.5"L x 17"W x 7"H